Sermon Tone Analysis

These last two verses (vv38-39) list 10 things that cannot separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

8 of them are in pairs.

38 "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 "nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

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Again, our main point, the main point of the whole passage is your security.

God wants His people to experience

deep, & unshakeable

confidence that they are secure in His love.

And the reason he must stress it is because in real life we appear and often feel so insecure.

To use the words of verse 36, "As it is written: Because of you we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered.”

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This is always true for Christians some place in the world.

And when it is true we can feel very insecure and very separated from God.

And this will be true for you some time in your life—

things will happen

that make you feel that you are separated from the love of God.

That is why this text is here, and that is why I am preaching and why you are here this morning.

Let’s look at the list and strengthen our hearts with God’s powerful and encouraging word.

Keep in mind that these verses are describing the security of “God’s elect” (), not the security of everybody.

If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, he has chosen you, you are His, you belong to Him.

Verse 28 says that you love Him and are called according to His purpose.

This is His purpose—this everlasting security.

Verse 29 says that you are foreknown, that is,

recognized with favor,

loved before time;

you are predestined to be like Christ, and

you are called from death to life, and

you are justified once for all—

counted righteous in Christ—and

you are glorified.

These promises of inseparability are God’s declaration that he will save His people and nothing can destroy them.

You have these promises if you will have Jesus as your Lord and Savior and Treasure.

So this passage actually begins in v35 with a question.

“Who can separate us from the love of Christ?”

The answer to this question is sevenfold.

FIRST: The Plainness of the reply.

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

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This we saw last week.

v37 is also in close relationship to v28.

Once this close connection is grasped,

we begin to understand that what Paul is saying is that not only do these various hardships and forces

(which he mentions) not hurt us,

but they help us: they all work together for good.

It is for this reason that he states that in connection with them we are more than conquerors.

A conqueror is a person who defeats the enemy.

One who is more than a conqueror causes the enemy to become a helper.

If anyone knew the meaning of “more than conquerors” it must have been Paul.

Was it not exactly this apostle who had been “more than conquered” by God?

From a bitter persecutor he had been changed into an enthusiastic supporter!

No wonder he could say, “I am persuaded.”

He would be!

From the Plainness of the reply to the Persuasion in the reply.

He says in v38, “I am persuaded”.

Can I ask you brothers and sisters, are you persuaded of the love of God?

Not being persuaded that God is love, but that God loves you!

Persuaded, in that the Father would chose us in Christ.

Chosen, not because of anything whatsoever in us

that would commend us to God but chosen in love to be His children.

Think of the love of God the Father, in choosing us.

Think of the love of Jesus, the Son of God, who bowed Himself from His glory,

that He might redeem us from our shame and sin.

The love of the Holy Spirit who made us alive and who comes to dwell in us.

Are you persuaded of His love for you?

v38 says that neither death nor life is able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Death is the first in the list.

Why? Two reasons, at least:

Because Paul has just said in verse 36, “We are being put to death all day long.”

And because death separates us from so much of what we know on earth.

It is the most urgent threat.

So immediately Paul says, “Death cannot separate us from God’s love.”

In fact, death does just the opposite.

It increases nearness and fellowship with Christ.

, "I am torn between the two.

I long to depart and be with Christ—which is far better—”

Death means “to be away from the body and at home with the Lord” ().

It is not separation; it’s homecoming.

When Christ died he secured his own people in death and in life.

Nothing in life and nothing in death will undo the triumph he achieved in the cross and the resurrection.

Piper, J. (2014).

Sermons from John Piper (2000–2014).

Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God.

So Paul says in , "Christ died and returned to life for this: that he might be Lord over both the dead and the living.”

His lordship over life and death is invincible.

So life and death cannot separate us from the love of God.

Piper, J. (2014).

Sermons from John Piper (2000–2014).

Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God.

Then in v38 we read of the cosmic supernatural powers.

“nor angels nor rulers” then at the end of v38 he mentions “powers”.

Piper, J. (2014).

Sermons from John Piper (2000–2014).

Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God.

Neither angels nor rulers nor powers will separate us from the love of God.

These three names are probably designations of angelic or demonic beings since “angels” are mentioned first in the group.

So Paul’s point is: there are no cosmic, supernatural powers that can separate us from the love of God.

Piper, J. (2014).

Sermons from John Piper (2000–2014).

Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God.

These powers were decisively defeated at the cross.

15 "He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; he triumphed over them in him.”

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When Christ rose from the dead, says that Christ is seated at the right hand of God in the heavens, "far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come.”

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So, even though these scoundrels are on the loose, they cannot do ultimate harm to God’s elect.